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Health & Medicine

The Museum's collections of medical science artifacts represent nearly all aspects of health and medical practice. Highlights include early X-ray apparatuses, such as one of Wilhelm Roentgen's tubes, penicillin mold from Alexander Fleming’s experiments, and Jonas Salk's original polio vaccine. More recent acquisitions include the first artificial heart implanted in a human, the earliest genetically engineered drugs, and materials related to David, the "Bubble Boy." Other artifacts range from artificial limbs and implant devices to bloodletting and dental instruments, beauty products, and veterinary equipment. The contents of a medieval apothecary shop and an 1890s drugstore form part of the collections, along with patent and alternative medicines. The collections also document the many differing perspectives on health and medical issues, from patients, family members, doctors, nurses, medical students, and out-of-the-mainstream health practitioners.

The popularity of “the Pill” created a new market for pharmaceutical companies. For the first time, healthy women would be taking medication for an extended period of time. Pill manufacturers developed unique packaging in order to distinguish their product from those of their competitors and build brand loyalty. Packaging design often incorporated a “memory aid” to assist women in tracking their daily pill regimen, as well as styled cases to allow pills to be discreetly carried in bags and purses. The National Museum of American History’s Division of Medicine and Science’s collection of oral contraceptives illustrates some of the changes that the packaging and marketing of the Pill underwent from its inception in 1960 to the present.

The G. D. Searle Company of Chicago, Illinois, produced these Enovid 5-milligram tablets for the drug's clinical trials in the late1950s. The oral contraceptive was originally tested in a 10-milligram dose, but when many women experienced unpleasant side effects the dosage was dropped to 5-milligrams. Before the introduction of "memory aid" packaging, Enovid was dispensed in 20 tablet vials. This sample was donated to the Smithsonian by the Margaret Sanger Center of New York City.

The popularity of “the Pill” created a new market for pharmaceutical companies. For the first time, healthy women would be taking medication for an extended period of time. Pill manufacturers developed unique packaging in order to distinguish their product from those of their competitors and build brand loyalty. Packaging design often incorporated a “memory aid” to assist women in tracking their daily pill regimen, as well as styled cases to allow pills to be discreetly carried in bags and purses. The National Museum of American History’s Division of Medicine and Science’s collection of oral contraceptives illustrates some of the changes that the packaging and marketing of the Pill underwent from its inception in 1960 to the present.

G.D. Searle and Company of Chicago, Illinois produced these Enovid 5-milligram capsules for the drug's clinical trials in the late1950s. The oral contraceptive was originally tested in a 10-milligram dose, but when many women experienced unpleasant side effects the dosage was dropped to 5-milligrams. This bottle of Enovid was donated to the Smithsonian by Mary Ann Johnson, a technician who worked in the Worcester Foundation of Experimental Biology where the birth control pill was developed.

The popularity of “the Pill” created a new market for pharmaceutical companies. For the first time, healthy women would be taking medication for an extended period of time. Pill manufacturers developed unique packaging in order to distinguish their product from those of their competitors and build brand loyalty. Packaging design often incorporated a “memory aid” to assist women in tracking their daily pill regimen, as well as styled cases to allow pills to be discreetly carried in bags and purses. The National Museum of American History’s Division of Medicine and Science’s collection of oral contraceptives illustrates some of the changes that the packaging and marketing of the Pill underwent from its inception in 1960 to the present.

G. D. Searle and Company of Chicago, Illinois, produced this Enovid-E brand oral contraceptive in 1976. The 20-pill blister pack is in a trademarked Compack plastic case. The days of the week are written in gold around the rim of the Compack, with three pills descending to the center under each day except Friday, which has only two pills. This object was donated to the Museum as a dispenser that fell under the claims of David Wagner’s patent (seen in object 1995.0057.01).

The popularity of “the Pill” created a new market for pharmaceutical companies. For the first time, healthy women would be taking medication for an extended period of time. Pill manufacturers developed unique packaging in order to distinguish their product from those of their competitors and build brand loyalty. Packaging design often incorporated a “memory aid” to assist women in tracking their daily pill regimen, as well as styled cases to allow pills to be discreetly carried in bags and purses. The National Museum of American History’s Division of Medicine and Science’s collection of oral contraceptives illustrates some of the changes that the packaging and marketing of the Pill underwent from its inception in 1960 to the present.

G. D. Searle and Company of Chicago, Illinois, produced this Ovulen-20 brand oral contraceptive around 1978. The 20-pill blister pack is in a trademarked Compack plastic case. The days of the week are written in silver around the rim of the Compack, with three pills descending to the center under each day except Saturday, which has only two pills. This object was donated to the Museum as a dispenser that fell under the claims of David Wagner’s patent (seen in object 1995.0057.01).

The popularity of “the Pill” created a new market for pharmaceutical companies. For the first time, healthy women would be taking medication for an extended period of time. Pill manufacturers developed unique packaging in order to distinguish their product from those of their competitors and build brand loyalty. Packaging design often incorporated a “memory aid” to assist women in tracking their daily pill regimen, as well as styled cases to allow pills to be discreetly carried in bags and purses. The National Museum of American History’s Division of Medicine and Science’s collection of oral contraceptives illustrates some of the changes that the packaging and marketing of the Pill underwent from its inception in 1960 to the present.

G. D. Searle and Company of Chicago, Illinois, produced this Enovid-E 21 brand oral contraceptive around 1975. This 21 pill blister pack is in a trademarked Compack plastic case. The gold-foil blister pack organizes the monthly dosage into three weekly rows, with each column labeled for the day of the week. This pack includes a pamphlet directing patients on proper usage. This object was donated to the Museum as a dispenser that did not fall under the claims of David Wagner’s patent (seen in object 1995.0057.01).

The popularity of “the Pill” created a new market for pharmaceutical companies. For the first time, healthy women would be taking medication for an extended period of time. Pill manufacturers developed unique packaging in order to distinguish their product from those of their competitors and build brand loyalty. Packaging design often incorporated a “memory aid” to assist women in tracking their daily pill regimen, as well as styled cases to allow pills to be discreetly carried in bags and purses. The National Museum of American History’s Division of Medicine and Science’s collection of oral contraceptives illustrates some of the changes that the packaging and marketing of the Pill underwent from its inception in 1960 to the present.

G. D. Searle and Company of Chicago, Illinois, produced this Ovulen-28 brand oral contraceptive around 1977. This 28-pill blister pack is contained in Searle’s trademarked “Compack” plastic case. The monthly dosage is arranged in four rows of 7 pills, with the day of the week at the top of each column. The pack includes a pamphlet on proper usage. To maintain the routine of taking a daily pill, Ovulen-28 contains a fourth week of pills that are inert. This object was donated to the Museum as a dispenser that did not come under the claims of David Wagner’s patent (seen in object 1995.0057.01).

The popularity of “the Pill” created a new market for pharmaceutical companies. For the first time, healthy women would be taking medication for an extended period of time. Pill manufacturers developed unique packaging in order to distinguish their product from those of their competitors and build brand loyalty. Packaging design often incorporated a “memory aid” to assist women in tracking their daily pill regimen, as well as styled cases to allow pills to be discreetly carried in bags and purses. The National Museum of American History’s Division of Medicine and Science’s collection of oral contraceptives illustrates some of the changes that the packaging and marketing of the Pill underwent from its inception in 1960 to the present.

G. D. Searle and Company of Chicago, Illinois, produced this Demulen-28 brand oral contraceptive around 1979. This 28 pill golden blister pack is contained in Searle’s trademarked “Compack” yellow plastic case. The monthly dosage is arranged in four rows of 7 pills, with the day of the week at the top of each column. This pack includes a pamphlet describing proper usage. To continue the routine of taking a daily pill, Ovulen-28 contains a fourth week of pills that are inert. This object was donated to the Museum as a dispenser that did not come under the claims of David Wagner’s patent (seen in object 1995.0057.01).

The popularity of “the Pill” created a new market for pharmaceutical companies. For the first time, healthy women would be taking medication for an extended period of time. Pill manufacturers developed unique packaging in order to distinguish their product from those of their competitors and build brand loyalty. Packaging design often incorporated a “memory aid” to assist women in tracking their daily pill regimen, as well as styled cases to allow pills to be discreetly carried in bags and purses. The National Museum of American History’s Division of Medicine and Science’s collection of oral contraceptives illustrates some of the changes that the packaging and marketing of the Pill underwent from its inception in 1960 to the present.

G. D. Searle and Company of Chicago, Illinois, produced this Enovid-E 21 brand oral contraceptive around 1975. This 21-pill blister pack is in Searle’s trademarked Compack plastic case. The gold-foil blister pack organizes the monthly dosage into three weekly rows, with each column labeled for the day of the week. The pack includes a pamphlet directing patients on proper usage.

The popularity of “the Pill” created a new market for pharmaceutical companies. For the first time, healthy women would be taking medication for an extended period of time. Pill manufacturers developed unique packaging in order to distinguish their product from those of their competitors and build brand loyalty. Packaging design often incorporated a “memory aid” to assist women in tracking their daily pill regimen, as well as styled cases to allow pills to be discreetly carried in bags and purses. The National Museum of American History’s Division of Medicine and Science’s collection of oral contraceptives illustrates some of the changes that the packaging and marketing of the Pill underwent from its inception in 1960 to the present.

G. D. Searle and Company of Chicago, Illinois, produced this Ovulen brand oral contraceptive for sale in Argentina during the 1960s. The regimen is in two silver blister packs of 10 pills, each inserted into a cardboard holder. The interior of the holder is divided into a five by five grid with a space for the day and date to be written by the user in each square. These oral contraceptives were distributed as a physician’s sample in Argentina.